Electronic device

ABSTRACT

An electronic device includes a first shell, a heat source and a heat dissipation module. The first shell includes an upper shell element and a lower shell element. The heat source is located on the lower shell element. The heat dissipation module includes a heat guide pipe. The heat guide pipe has a first side surface and a second side surface opposite each other. The second side surface is in contact with the heat source. The first side surface is in contact with the upper shell element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) on Patent Application No(s). 61/718,540 filed in the United States on Oct. 25, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device having a heat dissipation module.

2. Related Art

Ultra thin laptop is becoming a popular portable electronic device. Due to blooming of touchscreen monitor technology, it is not easy to distinguish laptop and tablet apart. Diverse usages to portable electronic devices strongly affect the structures of portable electronic devices. To match the different users' needs in utilizing portable electronic devices, adjustable structures are introduced into the market to switch functions and structures of laptop and tablet. Generally speaking, the portable electronic device allows its monitor module and mainframe module to operate with different angles for reaching the most comfortable viewpoint to the user. For example, when operating under a tablet mode, the monitor module and the mainframe module are next to each other in parallel for carrying the portable electronic device conveniently and operating the portable electronic device. When operating under a laptop mode, the monitor module is moved or rotated to form a larger angle between the monitor module and the mainframe module, so that the monitor module is erected on the mainframe module.

However, the performance requirements of the portable electronic device under the tablet usage mode and the laptop usage mode are different. The portable electronic device under the tablet usage mode is usually for running programs making the portable electronic device generate less heat energy. The portable electronic device under the laptop usage mode is usually for running programs making the portable electronic device generate more heat energy

Therefore, the heat dissipation efficiency for portable electronic devices has to be enhanced for ensuring the system stability of portable electronic devices under different usage modes.

SUMMARY

An electronic device disclosed in the disclosure comprises a first shell, a heat source and a heat dissipation module. The first shell comprises an upper shell element and a lower shell element. The heat source is located on the lower shell element. The heat dissipation module comprises a heat guide pipe, the heat guide pipe has a first side surface and a second side surface opposite each other, the second side surface is in thermal contact with the heat source, and the first side surface is in thermal contact with the upper shell element.

An electronic device disclosed in the disclosure comprises a first shell, a heat source and a heat dissipation module. The first shell has a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, and both the first surface and the second surface have a plurality of heat dissipation holes. The heat source is located inside the first shell. The heat dissipation module comprises a heat guide pipe, and the heat guide pipe is in contact in the heat source and the first shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the disclosure, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of an electronic device in a tablet use mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of an electronic device in a notebook use mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a top structural view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom structural view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a structural perspective view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along a sectional line 66 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view along a sectional line 77 in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of an electronic device in a tablet use mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of an electronic device in a notebook use mode according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

An electronic device 10 in this embodiment comprises a first shell 11, a second shell 12 pivotally connected to the first shell 11 and a display module 13. A processing unit is disposed inside the first shell 11, so that the first shell 11 is a main unit shell of the electronic device 10, and also the surface of the first shell 11 further has multiple heat dissipation holes 114. The display module 13 is disposed at the second shell 12, so that the second shell 12 is the screen shell of the electronic device 10. The display module 13 may be, but is not limited to, a touch screen.

The second shell 12 is capable of rotating against the first shell 11, and be rotated to a closed position where the second shell 12 is stacked on the first shell 11 (as shown in FIG. 1). The display module 13 is located at one side of the second shell 12 away from the first shell 11, so that the electronic device 10 is in the status of a tablet use mode.

In addition, the second shell 12 may rotate against the first shell 11 and turn into an open position where an included angle is formed with the first shell 11 (as shown in FIG. 2), so that the electronic device 10 is in the status of a notebook use mode. The second shell 12 in the notebook use mode does not stack on the first shell 11, so that the plurality of heat dissipation holes 114 on the surface of the first shell 11 and becomes exposed from covering in the second shell. Accordingly, the heat dissipation efficiency when the electronic device 10 is in the status of a notebook use mode is enhanced.

Please refer to FIG. 3 to FIG. 7. FIG. 3 is a top structural view of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a bottom structural view of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a structural perspective view of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a sectional view along a sectional line 66 in FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a sectional view along a sectional line 77 in FIG. 3.

Specifically, the first shell 11 comprises an upper shell element 111 and a lower shell element 112. The materials of the upper shell element 111 and the lower shell element 112 are, for example, metal or other materials having high thermal conduction coefficients. In addition, in this and some other embodiment, the thermal conduction coefficient of the material of the upper shell element 111 is greater than the thermal conduction coefficient of the material of the lower shell element 112. The upper shell element 111 has a first surface 1111, the lower shell element 112 has a second surface 1112, and the first surface 1111 and the second surface 1112 are located at two opposite sides of the first shell 11. These heat dissipation holes 114 are distributed at a part of the first surface 1111 of the upper shell element 111 and a part of the second surface 1112 of the lower shell element 112. Also, the average distribution density of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the first surface 1111 is greater than the average distribution density of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the second surface 1112. The average distribution density of the heat dissipation holes 114 refers to the number of heat dissipation holes 114 on an average unit surface area. As the average distribution density of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the first surface 1111 is greater than the average distribution density of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the second surface 1112, so that the number of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the first surface 1111 is greater than the number of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the second surface 1112. On the one hand, in order to reach high heat dissipating rate, the first surface 1111 with a high density of heat dissipation holes 114 should be formed by the materials with high thermal conductivity. And on the other hand, for protecting users' safety concern, the second surface 1112 may be formed by the materials with lower thermal conductivity, and with a less density of heat dissipation holes 114 in case to avoid users wounded.

In addition, the electronic device 10 further comprises a motherboard 16, a heat source 15 and a heat dissipation module 14.

The motherboard 16 is located on the upper shell element 111, and the heat source 15 is dispose on the motherboard 16. The heat source 15 is, but is not limited to, a processing chip, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) of the electronic device 10. The heat dissipation module 14 is located inside the first shell 11, and the heat dissipation module 14 correspond to the heat dissipation holes 114 located on the upper shell element 111 and the lower shell element 112 of the first shell 11. The heat dissipation holes 114 are used for air flow to pass through, so as to enhance the heat dissipation efficiency of heat dissipation module 14.

The heat dissipation module 14 comprises a heat dissipation fin set 140, a fan 144 and a heat guide pipe 143.

The heat dissipation fin set 140 is located inside the first shell 11 and is near the heat dissipation holes 114.

The air outlet 1441 of the fan 144 faces a part of the heat dissipation fin set 140, so as to provide an air flow to be blown to the heat dissipation fin set 140.

As shown in FIG. 6, the heat guide pipe 143 approximately has an L shape, and the heat guide pipe 143 has a first side surface 1431 and a second side surface 1432 opposite each other. It should be noted that the L shape of the heat guide pipe 143 in this embodiment is only an example, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the heat guide pipe 143 has a U shape or other suitable shapes.

The electronic device 10 further comprises a heat guide element 145. The heat guide element 145 is contact in the heat source 15. The second side surface 1432 at one end of the heat guide pipe 143 is stacked on and contact in the heat guide element 145 (that is, the heat guide element 145 is located between the heat guide pipe 143 and the heat source 15), so that the second side surface 1432 of the heat guide pipe 143 is in thermal contact with the heat source 15 through the heat guide element 145. The first side surface 1431 of the heat guide pipe 143 is joined with the upper shell element 111 to be in thermal contact with the upper shell element 111. Furthermore, one end of the heat guide pipe 143 is sandwiched between the upper shell element 111 and the heat guide element 145.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second side surface 1432 at one end of the heat guide pipe 143 away from the heat source 15 is in thermal contact with the heat dissipation fin set 140, and the first side surface 1431 at one end of the heat guide pipe 143 away from the heat source 15 is joined with and in thermal contact with the upper shell element 111.

When heat is generated by the heat source 15 and transferred to the heat guide pipe 143 through the heat guide element 145, the heat guide pipe 143 transfers the heat to a plurality of fins of the heat dissipation fin set 140. Then, through natural convection or the forced convection generated by the fan 144, the heat of the heat dissipation fin set 140 is removed. In addition, both the second side surface 1432 at one end of the heat guide pipe 143 near the heat source 15 and the second side surface 1432 at one end away from the heat source 15 are in thermal contact with the upper shell element 111 of metal or other materials having great thermal conduction coefficients, so that the heat of the heat source 15 is at the same time be transferred to the upper shell element 111 through the heat guide pipe 143, thereby enhancing the heat dissipation efficiency by means of the large heat dissipation surface area of the upper shell element 111. Also, as the thermal conduction coefficient of the material of the upper shell element 111 is greater than the thermal conduction coefficient of the material of the lower shell element 112, and the average distribution density and number of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the first surface 1111 of the upper shell element 111 are greater than the average distribution density and number of the heat dissipation holes 114 on the second surface 1112 of the lower shell element 112, the velocity that heat dissipates from the upper shell element 111 is enhanced. Therefore, when the electronic device 10 is in a notebook use mode (as shown in FIG. 2), the upper shell element 111 is exposed, and the electronic device 10 may achieve a desirable heat dissipation performance.

In the electronic device of this embodiment, the first side surface of the heat guide pipe is directly jointed with the upper shell element so that the heat guide pipe is in thermal contact with the upper shell element, and therefore the heat of the heat source can be directly transferred to the upper shell element through the heat guide pipe. In addition, effective heat dissipation surface area is increased by means of a large shell surface area of the upper shell element. Accordingly, the overall heat dissipation efficiency of the electronic device is enhanced. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, comprising: a first shell, comprising an upper shell element and a lower shell element; a heat source, located on the lower shell element; and a heat dissipation module, comprising a heat guide pipe, the heat guide pipe having a first side surface and a second side surface opposite each other, the second side surface being in thermal contact with the heat source, and the first side surface being in thermal contact with the upper shell element.
 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the material of the upper shell element is metal.
 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation module further comprises a heat dissipation fin set, located on the lower shell element, and the second side surface of the heat guide pipe is in thermal contact with the heat dissipation fin set.
 4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the upper shell element and the lower shell element have multiple heat dissipation holes, respectively, corresponding to the heat dissipation module.
 5. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the heat dissipation module further comprises a fan, and an air outlet of the fan faces the heat dissipation fin set.
 6. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat guide element, located between the heat guide pipe and the heat source.
 7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a second shell and a display module, the second shell being pivotally connected at the first shell and being configured for rotating between an open position and a closed position relative to the first shell, and in the closed position, the second shell being stacked on the first shell, and the display module being located on one side of the second shell far away from the first shell.
 8. An electronic device, comprising: a first shell, having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, and both the first surface and the second surface having a plurality of heat dissipation holes; a heat source, located inside the first shell; and a heat dissipation module, comprising a heat guide pipe, the heat guide pipe being in thermal contact with the heat source and the first shell.
 9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the distribution density of the heat dissipation holes on the first surface is greater than the distribution density of the heat dissipation holes on the second surface.
 10. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the number of the heat dissipation holes on the first surface is greater than the number of the heat dissipation holes on the second surface.
 11. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the thermal conduction coefficient of the first shell of the first surface is greater than the thermal conduction coefficient of the first shell of the second surface. 